The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday night, ending a five-game winless streak that had threatened to derail their season. Tomas Hertl scored on the power play at 4:47 of overtime to secure the victory, giving Vegas a badly needed two points and handing the Jets their 10th consecutive loss. For two teams heading in opposite directions, this game represented different kinds of desperation.
The Golden Knights entered the contest with a 0-3-2 record over their previous five games, watching leads evaporate and points slip away in frustrating fashion. The Jets arrived having lost nine straight, their season collapsing in spectacular fashion after a strong start. When one struggling team plays another, the result often comes down to which team is less dysfunctional. On Tuesday night, Vegas proved marginally more competent.
This was not a game that will appear on highlight reels or be remembered as an example of championship hockey. It featured sloppy play, defensive breakdowns, and special teams mistakes from both sides. But it mattered because it stopped the bleeding for Vegas and provided evidence that the team could still win close games despite their recent struggles. Sometimes, surviving is enough.
The Ugly Path to Victory
The game began badly for Vegas. Jets forward Cole Perfetti scored just 5:16 into the first period, snapping a 16-game goal drought with a backhand that beat Carter Hart cleanly. Perfetti celebrated emphatically, banging the glass as if releasing weeks of frustration. For a player who had not scored since early December, the goal represented personal relief even as his team continued to founder.
The Jets extended their lead midway through the first when defenseman Luke Schenn, playing in his 1,100th career game, fired a point shot through traffic that Hart never saw. The puck deflected multiple times before crossing the goal line, the kind of unlucky bounce that teams endure during losing streaks. Vegas trailed 2-0 after one period, continuing a pattern of slow starts that had plagued them for weeks.
Then the game turned dark. With just under seven minutes remaining in the first period, Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury was shoved by Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar near the boards while clearing the puck. Fleury slid hard into the end boards back-first and did not get up. Medical staff rushed onto the ice immediately. The crowd at Canada Life Centre fell silent as Fleury lay motionless.
It took several minutes to stabilize Fleury before paramedics carefully loaded him onto a stretcher and removed him from the ice. The arena remained eerily quiet as players from both teams watched helplessly. Later reports indicated Fleury had been taken to a local hospital for evaluation, though the team did not immediately provide details about the nature or severity of his injuries. The incident cast a shadow over the remainder of the game.
Play resumed, but the energy had shifted. Both teams seemed shaken by what they had witnessed. The physicality decreased. Players became more cautious. In that atmosphere, Vegas began to mount a comeback that felt less like inspiration and more like workmanlike execution.
Mark Stone scored with 51 seconds remaining in the second period, flipping a loose puck past Connor Hellebuyck on the power play. The goal was Stone’s 13th of the season and extended his goal streak to five games, a bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent stretch for the Golden Knights. Stone’s ability to produce despite the team’s struggles has been crucial in keeping Vegas in playoff contention.
Brett Howden tied the game early in the third period, taking a cross-ice pass from Noah Hanifin and beating Hellebuyck to make it 2-2. The goal gave Howden tallies in three consecutive games, another rare positive amid the recent difficulties. For a team that had struggled to generate consistent offense, seeing secondary scorers contribute provided much-needed depth.
The Jets responded with Kyle Connor scoring with 5:04 remaining in regulation, giving Winnipeg a 3-2 lead that appeared likely to hold. Connor’s goal showcased his skill, but it also highlighted defensive breakdowns that have plagued Vegas throughout their slump. Hart had no chance on the play, which developed from a miscommunication in coverage that left Connor alone in front of the net.
But Reilly Smith answered just 59 seconds later, beating Hellebuyck to tie the game at 3-3 and force overtime. Smith’s goal salvaged a point for Vegas and set up the dramatic finish. For a team that had watched games slip away late in the third period repeatedly over the previous two weeks, holding on for overtime felt like a minor victory.
The Overtime Decision
Overtime belonged to the Golden Knights despite Winnipeg’s Dylan Samberg taking a tripping penalty that gave Vegas a 4-on-3 power play. With that much space and talent on the ice, the outcome became almost inevitable. Mitch Marner fired a shot that bounced fortuitously off Hertl’s body and into the net as he battled in front of Hellebuyck. The goal was credited to Hertl, his first in several games, and it ended both Vegas’s winless streak and Winnipeg’s night.
Hertl’s celebration was muted, reflecting both the circumstances of the goal and the knowledge that this victory, while important, did not solve the underlying problems that created the five-game winless run. The Golden Knights had beaten a team that had now lost 10 straight. They had needed overtime and a power play to do it. They had benefited from a fortunate bounce on the winning goal. These are not the hallmarks of a championship contender playing at their best.
But they are the characteristics of a team finding ways to win when playing poorly, which matters in a long season. The best teams win games they dominate. Good teams win games that are competitive. Mediocre teams find ways to beat other mediocre teams. Vegas proved they are at least good enough to beat Winnipeg, which at this point in the season counts as progress.
The Context of Relief
The victory snapped a streak that had seen Vegas go 0-3-2 over five games, collecting just two points in a span where they could have earned 10. Those lost points matter in a tight Pacific Division where playoff positioning remains uncertain. The Golden Knights lead the division despite their recent struggles, but that lead is narrow enough that a prolonged slump could push them out of contention.
For Winnipeg, the loss extended their nightmare to 10 consecutive defeats, dropping their record to 0-6-4 during the streak. The Jets began the season as one of the league’s best teams but have collapsed completely. Injuries, poor goaltending, and defensive breakdowns have combined to create a situation where wins feel impossible. Playing Vegas offered a chance to break the streak against another struggling team. Instead, they extended it.
The game illustrated how quickly NHL fortunes can change. Both teams entered the season with playoff expectations. Both had performed well in stretches. Now both were scrambling to stop losing streaks and find consistency. The difference is that Vegas halted their slide, at least temporarily, while Winnipeg continues to search for answers.
Carter Hart’s performance deserves mention. Making his first start after nearly two years away from the NHL due to legal issues, Hart stopped 17 shots and gave Vegas a chance to win. He was not spectacular, but he was competent, which matters for a team that has struggled with goaltending consistency. His presence provides depth at a position where injuries or poor play can derail seasons quickly.
Notes and Takeaways
The Golden Knights’ victory over Winnipeg will not be remembered as a turning point or a statement win. It was a grinding, ugly game between two struggling teams that Vegas managed to win in overtime. But sometimes grinding wins matter more than pretty ones because they demonstrate resilience when everything feels difficult.
Vegas has now won two straight games after the winless streak, suggesting they may have found some stability. Stone’s goal-scoring streak continues to provide offensive production. Secondary players like Howden and Smith are contributing. Hart’s return gives them another goaltending option. These are small positives in a season that has featured more adversity than expected.
The injuries continue to mount, however. Haydn Fleury’s scary moment serves as a reminder of hockey’s physical toll. Players put their bodies at risk every shift, and sometimes luck runs out. The Golden Knights have dealt with their own injury issues throughout the season, forcing lineup adjustments and limiting their ability to build chemistry.
Looking ahead, Vegas must build on this victory without overreacting to it. Beating a Jets team on a 10-game losing streak does not mean the Golden Knights have solved their problems. They still struggle with defensive consistency. Their power play remains inconsistent despite the overtime success. Special teams mistakes cost them points regularly.
But survival matters in professional sports. Teams that can win when playing poorly often find themselves in playoff position when they start playing well again. The Golden Knights demonstrated they can still win games despite their limitations. That ability will be tested repeatedly over the remaining months as they try to maintain their division lead and build momentum toward the postseason.
For the Jets, the losing continues. Ten straight defeats represents organizational crisis. Players lose confidence. Coaches’ jobs become threatened. Fan patience evaporates. Winnipeg needs to find answers quickly or risk seeing their season spiral completely out of control.
The contrast between these two teams highlights how narrow the margin is between success and failure in professional hockey. Both entered the season with legitimate playoff aspirations. Both struggled through extended losing streaks. One found a way to stop the bleeding. The other continues to search.
Key Insights:
- Winning ugly matters more than playing well in defeat when breaking losing streaks
- Teams struggling simultaneously often produce sloppy games decided by which team is less dysfunctional
- Goal-scoring streaks from star players provide stability during team-wide inconsistency
- Overtime power play goals often result from fortunate bounces rather than clean execution
- Surviving difficult stretches positions teams to capitalize when play improves
